GMOs

If the nationwide furore over Bt brinjal was driven by the fear of unsafe food being pushed down the throat, the proposed Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) bill goes a step further to silence all opposition. The bill will bring about changes in regulating the research, transport, import, manufacture and use of genetically modified (GM) products in the country.

On February 9, minister of state for environment Jairam Ramesh announced an indefinite moratorium on introducing Bt brinjal—the first genetically modified crop for mass production in India. In doing so, he overruled the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) that had approved commercial cultivation of the food crop on October 14, 2009.

New Delhi, October 15, 2009: The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said today that the government should not clear any genetically modified food crop till the time we have strict provisions for labelling. Bt brinjal will be one of the few crops which are used for human consumption directly and not processed into bread or used in other processed foods. “Clearance of such a crop requires the authorities to practice extreme caution.